Knit fabric with gathers therein



No). 9, 1948. sAPlN a 7 2,453,542

KNIT FABRIC WII'H GATHERS THEREIN Filed Jan. 28, 1948 J g a I k \NVENTOR BERNHRD ,S'EPIN ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 9, n 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l? KNIT FABRIC WITH GATHERS THEREIN Bernard Sapin, New York, N. Y.

The present invention relates to knitted fabrics and to a method of making the same.

The prima y object of the present invention is the provision of a knitted fabrichaving one or more gathered surface portions or sections formed without sewing of the fabric or the use of elastic.

In accordance with my invention, I take a half cardigan knit fabric, which is a well known type of knit fabric, and drop the half cardigan stitches in selected laterally spaced Wales orareas of the fabric, or in any other desired area or areas of the fabric, according to the desired design; As a result of dropping the half cardigan stitches in an area of the fabric located between undropped half cardigan stitches, gathers are produced in the area of the dropped half cardigan stitches as a result of the release of the excess yarn introduced in the fabric during the knitting thereof for producing the half cardigan stitches. In

other words a half cardigan knit fabric has half cardigan stitches at one side or face of the fabric end cuff stitches on the other side or face thereof produced, as is well known to those familiar with the knitting art, by knitting the fabric on a flat knitting machine with front and back needles in the conventional manner of producing a knit fabric conventionall known as half cardigan. When the half cardigan stitches are dropped, the cuff stitching remains and theyarn released by dropping the half cardigan stitches results in the formation of gathers in the fabric between the areas in which the half cardigan stitches are not dropped. Thus, by the simple operation of dropping the half cardigan stitches from one or more selected portions of the conventional half cardigan knit fabric between portions in which thehalf cardigan stitches are retained, I am able to produce gathers in the fabric without sewing the f ab-v ric or without using elastic material or without performing any other operations or using auxiliary materials. 1

The invention and the, above mentioned and otherobjects, features and advantages thereof will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a piece of half cardigan knit fabric;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fabric produced in accordance with the present invention from the conventional fabric illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of I Application January 28, 1948, Serial No. 4,786

10 Claims. (Cl. 66200) Fig. 4 is a View, on an enlarged scale, showing the half-cardigan stitch structure and adjacent. rows of wales in which the stitches are dropped.

In Fig. l thereis shown a piece ll) of half cardigan knit fabrichaving the selvage edges [lextending along the length of thefabric, that is, in thedirection in which the fabric comesoff the knitting machine during the knitting of the fabric. The face I4 of the fabric may be considered as the face of the fabric which has the half cardigan stitches, the opposite side or face of the fabric having the cuff stitches exposed thereon. The

fabric is preferably knit from woolen or worsted e In Fig. 2 there is shown a fabric IDA which is provided, in the design selected for illustration,

lected-areas or spacedareas of the fabric for producing the gathers 18 in any suitable way as will be readily apparentto those familiar with the knitting art. It will of course be understood that as a result of dropping the half cardigan knit stitches in a space between groups of wales of half cardigan stitches which are not dropped or disturbed, the yarn which is releasedtas a result of the dropping of said half cardigan stitchesin the selected area remains interlaced with or con-' nected to the cuff stitches and to the undisturbed half cardigan stitches. However, due tothe releaseof the half cardigan. stitches the portions of the yarn which had previously been looped to form thehalf cardigan stitches constitute excess yarn in the area or areas of the fabric in which the half cardigan stitches are dropped and thus form gathers or puckers. Itwill beunderstood that the number of adjacent walesof half cardigan stitches which are dropped between adjacent laterally spaced groups of wales 20 of half cardigan stitches which are not dropped may vary considerably depending upon the desired effect.

As an example, but without limitation, in a fabric which I have produced in accordancewith the present invention, a gathered effect of desirable appearance isproduced bydrcpping about 4 or 5 or 6 adjacent longitudinal wales 2B of half cardigan stitches betweenthe adjacentlaterally 3 spaced areas of half cardigan stitches which are not dropped.

The gathered knit fabric of the present invention may be produced in the form of bands for use in trimming garments or other articles of wearing apparel. For example, or without limitation, I have employed a band of such fabric as the top of a sweater, at the shoulders and neck line, butit will be understood that the fabric may be made in Wide fabrics as well as infabrics of band width and that such fabrics may be-utili'zed generally in the manufacture of knit goods as well as for trimmings.

of the invention and is therefore not to be con- It will be understood that the design shown in Fig. 2 is-smerelywillustrative sidered as in any way limiting the variousgath- 2. Knit material comprisingahalf cardigan knit fabric formed of non-inelastic textile yarn and having'a section in which all the half cardigan knit. stitches of a plurality 0f wales are dropped, said section being disposed between laterallyrzspaced groups of. walesof the original half cardiganknit stitches of saidfabric, the yarn released"; by. said dropped stitches, forming gathers in saidsection.

3. Knit material. comprising a. half. cardigan knit fabric having asectioninwhich all the half cardigan knit stitches of a plurality. of Wales are dropped, .said.section being. disposedlbetween Iaterally spaced. groups of, Wales of the original .half cardigan knit stitches of said fabric, theyarn released. by said droppedstitches forming. athers in. said section, said section. of dropped stitches extending longitudinally of .the iabrid.

4..Knit. material comprising a half cardigan knit fabric formed of. non-inelastic textile yarn and having .a plurality vof laterally spaced sec- :tionsin each of. which the half cardigan, knit stitches are dropped, each of said sections being disposedbetween laterally spaced groups of wales of the originalhalf cardigan knit stitches of said fabric, the. yarn released by said dropped stitches forming gathers insaid section.

H 5. Knit material comprising a halfcardigan knit fabric having a section consisting of a plurality of. adjacent wales of dropped half cardigan knit stitches, and groups of adjacent wales. of the original/half cardigan knit stitches disposed in laterally spaced relation at the lateral boundaries of said, section of dropped stitches, the yarn released bysaid dropped stitches forming gathers in'said section.

6. Knit material comprising a half cardigan knit fabric formed of non-inelastic textile yarn and having a plurality of laterally spaced sec tions each consisting of a plurality of adjacent wales of dropped half cardigan knit stitches, and groups of adjacent wales of the original half cardigan knit stitches disposed in laterally spaced relation at the lateral boundaries of said sections, respectively, the yarn released by said dropped stitches forming 'gathers'in said section.

7. Knit material comprising a half cardigan knit fabric formed of non-inelastic textile yarn and having a plurality of laterally spaced sections each consistingof, a plurality of adjacent wales of dropped half cardigan knit stitches, and groups ofadjacent'wales of the original half cardigan knit stitches disposed in laterally spaced relation at the lateral boundaries of said sections, respectively, the yarn released by said dropped stitches forming gathers in said section, said fabr-ichaving the original half cardigan knit stitches at the opposite side edge selvages of the fabric.

8.--Knit. material comprising a' half cardigan knit fabric havingasection iniwhich all the half cardigan knitstitches of a plurality of wales are dropped, said se-ctionbeingdisposed between laterally spaced groups of wales of the original half cardigan. knit stitches of said fabric, the, yarn released by said dropped stitches forming gathers in said section, said fabrichaving the original half cardigan knit stitches at the opposite side edge selvages of the fabric.

9.. Knit; material, comprising a half cardigan knit fabric having ection in which all the half cardigan knit-,stitchesQo'f a plurality of wales are dropped, saidsection. being disposed between laterally spacedgroups of Walesof the original half cardigan knit stitches of said fabric, said fabric being. knit from woolen yarn and the yarn which isreleased by said-dropped stitches forming gathersin said, section.

10. Knit material comprising a half cardigan knit fabric havinga section in which all the half cardigan knit stitches of a plurality of Wales are dropped, said section being disposed between laterally spaced ,groupsof wales of the original half cardigan knit stitches of said fabric, the yarn released by said dropped stitches forming gathers in said section,.said gathers consisting of thecuif stitches and of the interlaced yarn which is released by said dropped stitches.

' BERNARD SAPIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Martin June 2, 1942 

